Europe in the writings of Truman Capote or the steps to the creation of the non-fiction novel

Abstract

Last 25th August 2004, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the death of the American writer Truman Capote and simultaneously, in the following months, two milestones in his literary career: the fortieth anniversary of Truman Capote's publication of the first lines of his masterpiece: In Cold Blood and the forty-fifth anniversary of the publication of Local Color, where the author gives a very personal and distinctive portrait of Europe; a kind of reportage of a post-war continent that now, years after, has just lived the expansion of the European Community last 1st of May. Due to the celebration of these events in the following months, it is the aim of this research to study the connexion between Truman Capote and Europe: his vision, his opinion, his writings, travels and, furthermore, the importance and the transcendent role of Europe as the root for the non-fiction novel in the making of In Cold Blood.